On Tuesday, 3 March 2026, the workshop “Commercialisation of Research Results: Essential Steps and Practical Examples” was held at the University of Rijeka Campus, bringing together around forty researchers and research management professionals.
The event was opened by Prof. Goran Vukelić, PhD, Vice-Rector for Strategic Projects at the University of Rijeka, who highlighted the need for systematic support for the commercialisation of research outcomes and the strengthening of the University’s innovation capacity.
In the central part of the workshop, Mr Deni Nurkić from the Innovation Centre Nikola Tesla, founder of the deep-tech venture builder Nuqleus and Head of Services at CROBOHUB++, delivered a presentation aimed at clarifying key concepts relevant to researchers entering the market. He explained what constitutes intellectual property and how it can be effectively protected and transferred, what lies behind the term deep tech and why it has become a priority within European innovation policy, as well as the differences between start-up, spin-off and spin-out models. Particular emphasis was placed on the practical implications for the academic environment.
Dr Ivona Peternel from the University of Juraj Dobrila in Pula presented the CARDEA Academy highlighting the career development opportunities it offers to research managers, with a focus on building competences required for work on innovation-driven projects.
Activities at the University of Rijeka were presented by Lea Perinić from the Department for Innovation and Knowledge Valorisation (OIVZ), part of the University Centre for Research and Innovation. She outlined the UNIRI innovation and knowledge transfer support system, highlighting the complementary services provided by OIVZ and the Science and Technology Park STEP RI. Special attention was given to the potential of the INNO2MARE pilot projects as concrete examples of developing research ideas with market potential.
The workshop concluded with a discussion and Q&A session, confirming strong interest within the academic community in practical knowledge transfer models and in strengthening the entrepreneurial dimension of research.
The event was organised as part of the synergistic activities under WP4 of the INNO2MARE project, aimed at fostering connectivity and facilitating the transfer of innovation activities from academia to industry.
